Flexible connection for drive shafts and wheels.



No. 740,559. PATENTED 001?. s, 1903;

. W. HAMILTON. FLEXIBLE CONNECTION FOR DRIVE SHAFTS AND WHEELS. V

APPLIOATION FILED JAN. 17. 1903.

N0 MODEL.

Han set).

NITED STATES Patented October 6, 1903.

PATENT OFFICE.

WILLIAM E. HAMILTON, or ZANESVILLE, OHIO.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 740,559, dated October6, 1908.

Application filed January 1?, 1903. Serial No. 139,484. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, WILLIAM E. HAMILTON, a citizen of the United States,residing at Zanesville, in the county of Muskingumand State of Ohio,have invented certain new and useful Improvements in FlexibleConnections for Drive Shafts and Wheels, of which the following is aspecification.

This invention relates to means for forming driving-couplings orflexible connections between a rigid drive-shaft and an actuatedmechanism adapted to be moved in various directions. More specificallyit comprises in combination with a rotatable drive-shaft a drive-wheeladapted to be moved to various positions, means for supporting anddriving said wheel from said shaft, and means for supporting mechanismactuated by said wheel. Itsobjects are to provide a device of thischaracter that will be as rigid as pos sible, that will transmit powerwith small percentage of loss, and that will be durable in operation.

In the drawings, Figure l is a view showing aportion of a truck withsupports and driving mechanism fora vertical shaft, a gathering andconveying device to be operated, and a flexible coupling for driving theconveyor-chain. Fig. 2 is a sectional view showing a split drive-wheel,which in this instance is a sprocket-wheel, the driving-shaft head anddriving-studs, and the chain-supporting bars. Fig. 3 is a part-plan viewof the same with the supporting-bars removed. Fig. 4; is a detailshowing one of the driving-studs provided with a sleeve to preventfriction.

A truck 1 is provided with suitable driving mechanism for turning avertical shaft 2, carried in suitable bearings. This shaft in turnsupports and drives a gathering and elevating mechanism, (designated asa whole by 3.) The upper extremity of the shaft 2 terminates in a ballor sphere 4, which fits into a similarly 4 shaped recess in a drivewheel or sprocket 5. For convenience in assembling, this Wheel is madein sections 6 and 7, which are held together in any suitable manner, asby bolts 8. A plurality of driving-studs 9 on said ball take into slots10 radially formed in said wheel and opening into the spherical recess.These slots are of sufficient width to allow a free vertical movement onthe studs 9 and are of sufficient height to allow the sweep carrying theelevating mechas shown in Fig. 4.

The wheel 5 is provided with journals 11, which turn in bars orbearing-plates 12, forming the end of the sweep, and which is supportedat one end by said wheel.

It is evident from the above description and the drawings that if theshaft 2 is turned it will in turn drive the wheel 5, and no furtherdescription of the operation is deemed necessary.

While I have described a preferred form or embodiment of this invention,I do not consider the same to be limited to the structural details orexact form shown; but

What I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. In a conveyer apparatus, the combination of a vertical drive-shaft, awheel pivotally mounted on said shaft, means whereby said wheel may bedriven by said shaft in planes at variable angles thereto, aconveyorsweep with one end mounted to coact with said wheel, andconveying mechanism operated by said wheel.

2. Incombination, a drive-shaft, a spherical enlargement on said shaft,a wheel taking over said enlargement, studs on said spherical portiontaking into recesses in said wheel, a sweep with bearings on said wheel,and conveying mechanism driven by said wheel.

3. In combination, a drive-shaft a ball on said shaft, a sprocket-wheeltaking over said ball, studs on said ball adapted to engage slots insaid wheel, antifriction-rollers on said studs, journals on said wheel,a sweep engaging said journals and conveying mechanism coacting withsaid sweep and driven by said sprocket-wheel.

at. A vertical drive-shaft terminating in a spherical head, a separablesprocket-Wheel provided with a recess for said ball, studs on said ball,slots in said sprocket-wheel with which said studs engage, journals onsaid wheel, a sweep with bearings on said journals and conveyingmechanism operated by said sprocket-wheel.

WILLIAM E. HAMILTON.

Witnesses:

J. F. LINTON, O. E. HALTERMAN.

